The impact of integrating rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (K5) release with pindone baiting on wild rabbit populations

Author:

Patel Kandarp K.123ORCID,Austin Catherine4,Warner Katrina4,Pickett Marcus5,Khabiri Aliakbar1,Mahzounieh Mohammadreza1,Hemmatzadeh Farhid1,Taggart Patrick L.1367ORCID

Affiliation:

1. School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences The University of Adelaide Roseworthy South Australia Australia

2. Davies Livestock Research Centre The University of Adelaide Roseworthy South Australia Australia

3. Centre for Invasive Species Solutions Bruce Australian Capital Territory Australia

4. Landscapes Hills and Fleurieu Mount Barker South Australia Australia

5. Marcus Pickett Ecological Services Lobethal South Australia Australia

6. Bush Heritage Australia Victor Harbor South Australia Australia

7. School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia

Abstract

AbstractSeveral conventional and recently available tools are available for an integrated control of European rabbits in Australia. We quantified the impact of the release of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus K5 (RHDV K5, hereafter K5) and pindone (2‐pivalyl‐1,3‐indandione) baiting at 13 sites within Cudlee Creek fire scar in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia. K5 release was followed by pindone baiting between December 2021 and March 2022; the application of both control methods followed industry best practice. We counted rabbits using spotlights before and after the application of both control methods. Fly samples and livers from dead rabbits were collected to track K5 transmission within and between sites, and to detect the natural circulation of rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2). K5 release had minimal impact on rabbit populations, with treated populations increasing by a mean of 65.5% at 14 days post‐release and 27.9% at 77 days post‐K5 release across all sites, comparable to the changes at control sites. K5 detection in flies up to 77 days post its release, and its detection in rabbit livers, demonstrates that it can survive and transmit in the environment for prolonged periods and that it can lethally infect some rabbits. This limited impact of K5 is consistent with previous studies and may be explained by pre‐existing RHDV/RHDV2 immunity in the target populations or the presence of young rabbits with natural innate RHDV immunity. The detection of K5 in flies from control sites demonstrates that it was vectored beyond its release location. A reduction in rabbit counts post‐pindone baiting was observed at most treatment sites, with a mean population reduction of 36.6% across all sites. Landholders need to carefully and strategically plan their integrated rabbit control programmes. Not all combinations of controls, even if theoretically logical, achieve meaningful outcomes for rabbit management.

Publisher

Wiley

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